Re: azlan shah cup {hockey}
The first goal by Adnan Zakir off a indirect PC was a beauty. What an electric deflection. Very nice! I am glad there is no more off-side rule. This should make the game more goal oriented.
Re: azlan shah cup {hockey}
Congratulations to all !!! 
Very exciting game by both India and Pakistan. :k: Good to see asian style hockey at its best.
Let see what Austrailian coach has to say about Pak team after yesterday’s match.
PAK Australian coach all praise for Pakistan hockey outfit
From Khalid Hussain
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Australian coach Barry Dancer is very impressed with the young Pakistani squad saying that it has the potential to be counted among the best teams in world hockey this year.
“Your guys have impressed me a lot,” Dancer told this correspondent in an interview here at the National Hockey Stadium after Pakistan and Australia finished with a 2-2 draw in a Sultan Azlan Shah Cup match on Tuesday.
“Most of these Pakistani players are young but they have shown a lot of maturity in this tournament,” said Dancer who masterminded Australia’s maiden Olympic triumph in Athens last summer.
Dancer said that Pakistan played an all-round game in the match against Australia and never allowed his team to relax in the close encounter.
The Aussie coach said that he was expecting a tough game against Pakistan after having watched the Pakistanis winning their earlier three games in this tournament in an impressive manner. “Pakistan have been playing well throughout this tournament, showing a lot of consistency.”
Both Pakistan and Australia are so far unbeaten in this seven-nation contest and occupy the top two spots on the points table. They appear favourites to play this Sunday’s final but Dancer is not betting on it.
“We still have two more rounds to go and anything can happen,” he said pointing out that Korea also have realistic chances of reaching the final.
Pakistani officials agreed with Dancer saying that their boys will have to end as victors in their remaining two games of the league rounds to confirm a place in the final.
“We are in a good position to qualify for the final but need to continue winning to be sure of playing for the title.”
Tahir is pleased with the fact that his young team is yet to lose in the tournament and wants it to beat India and Malaysia in their final two matches before the ultimate showdown.
“It would be good for my team to go into the final unbeaten,” said Tahir who was quick to add that nobody in the Pakistani camp was taking things for granted in the next two, relatively easier games, against India and Malaysia.
“No game in today’s hockey should be seen as easy. The results these days vary from game to game and you have to give your best against even the weaker teams in a tournament.”
Re: azlan shah cup {hockey}
What is most impressive with this pakistani team is that 11 out of 18 players are from junoir squad and still they are competing with experienced Korean and Australian sqauds with aplomb. Great exhbition so far.
And this new goal keeper Salman Akbar has won plaudits for his heroic performances; He made some impossible and fantastic saves against aussies and indians.
Re: azlan shah cup {hockey}
Mubarak to all. For the last few years we always start performing very well and then choke in the end. Lets not do that this year and bring home the Azlan Shah cup this year. Pakistan Zindabad.
Re: azlan shah cup {hockey}
ditto
I am also impressed by this new guy imran who is hitting the penalty corners in palce of sohail abbas…and salman akbar is really really good…Ajj India kee Ma bhen bee aik kar de…shukar Ha meray mola ka kay lalay ka munh kala kar diya…
Re: azlan shah cup {hockey}
^ hard for me to believe its you PD using such language - a lil disappointed.
That goal by Zakir was an absolute wow!! 
:k:
Re: azlan shah cup {hockey}
Congratulations Pakistan !!
Re: azlan shah cup {hockey}
What was the KOR-NZL score?
Some rules that have changed over the years and that you may not be aware of:
a) for a goal to be valid from a short corner -
1) the ball has to go out of the "D" and then brought back into the circle to be hit towards goal;
2) a push (flick) following a short corner can end up anywhere in the goal but a hit has to be no higher than the back boards
b) the bully is no longer 3 clashes of the sticks but only 1
c) the ball can be scooped into the "D" (from outside the circle) as long as it does not create dangerous play
d) during a free hit near the perimetre of the "D" ALL players (except the one taking the hit) have to be at least 5 yds from the ball
e) no limit on the number of substitutions during the game, but a substitution may not take place once a short corner has been awarded and until it has been executed.
More later if anyone is interested.
What times are the games on Sunday?
Re: azlan shah cup {hockey}
South Korea won 6-4.
Re: azlan shah cup {hockey}
Awam ki awaz... thanks...looks like the sub is the only rule that has changed.
Re: azlan shah cup {hockey}
at 1st half... Pak 0 Mal 0
Pakistan need to draw to for finals........
Re: azlan shah cup {hockey}
After 44 mins
Pakistan 0 Malaysia 1
Pakistan must win this match.........Can malaysia upset the Pakistanies?
Re: azlan shah cup {hockey}
sigh :(
I thought they are already in finals :(
Re: azlan shah cup {hockey}
advertisement
Friday June 3, 8:03 PM
Australia enter second sucessive final after edging India 1-0
Forward Jamie Dwyer scored a solitary goal in the closing stages to lead defending champions Australia to a narrow 1-0 win over India on Friday and a place in the final of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup field hockey tournament.
The result put Australia at the top of the league standings with 14 points from six matches while Pakistan and South Korea are tied at 13 points. Pakistan needs only a draw against inexperienced Malaysia later Friday to enter the finals as South Korea have completed their preliminary matches.
Olympic champions Australia beat Pakistan 4-3 in last year's final.
The Australians are unbeaten in the seven-nation tournament and were clear favorites against an India side which had only one win and a draw from five matches.
Despite dominating the match, forcing four penalty corners in the first half, Australia failed to get past a tight Indian defence led by Len Aiyappa.
The match was also played at a slow pace as the two teams showed the effects of playing five matches in eight days. ADVERTISEMENT
The Australians were let down by poor finishing especially in the second half when they had the Indians under pressure for long periods.
But Dwyer who missed a golden opportunity in the 60th minute made no mistake five minutes later to score his fourth goal of the tournament when he hit the ball on the turn past India goalkeeper Davesh Chuahan to seal Australia's ticket into the final.
The defeat left India fighting for a fifth placing playoff against Malaysia on Sunday.
Earlier Seo Jong-ho scored a match winner in the waning minutes to earn South Korea a hard fought 3-2 win over South Africa. The defeat left South Africa in last spot in the final standings, with just one point from six matches.
The South Africans did well to restrict South Korea on Friday and even took a 1-0 lead through a penalty corner strike by Justin King in the 7th minute.
South Korea gave away too much possession ball with uncharacteristic stray passes and had to wait until the 20th minute to level the score through Jang Jong-hyun from a penalty corner.
South Korea took the lead in the 45th minute when Kim Kyung-seok converted a penalty stroke, but South Africa hit back 10 minutes later through Steve Philips to level score.
But with just two minutes from fulltime, Seo grabbed the important winning goal to keep South Korea in the hunt for a place in the final.
Many teams are fielding untested combinations in the 10-day tournament being played in Kuala Lumpur to prepare for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
India has already booked a World Cup berth, while Australia, New Zealand and South Africa will be looking to secure their berths later this year through continental tournaments. Malaysia, South Korea and Pakistan will compete later in World Cup qualifiers.
Re: azlan shah cup {hockey}
just 15 mins left........... Pakistan need a goal
Re: azlan shah cup {hockey}
Pakistan missed another penalty corner.....Malaysian goalkeeper is doing a superb job
Re: azlan shah cup {hockey}
Pakistan lost the match and are out of the tournament. Malaysian team played brilliantly.
Re: azlan shah cup {hockey}
What a sad end to a brilliant tournament by these young players. They choked in th last match. Shakeel Abbassi was sorely missed. They were the best team no doubt throughout but fumbled in last match. Missed a bag of chances in second half.
Hope this young team learns from their mistakes in this match and comne out an even better one in future tournaments.